A recent incident on a MARTA escalator, following a Beyoncé concert, has left at least 21 individuals injured, a number significantly higher than initially reported by officials.
As concertgoers made their way home, the escalator unexpectedly sped up, resulting in chaos and injuries among passengers.
Among those injured was a woman in critical condition who had friends seriously contemplating calling for an Uber to get her immediate medical assistance.
A fellow concert attendee, who is a nurse, improvised by using her bandana to help manage the bleeding of the injured woman.
Henry Dogan, who broke his leg during the incident, expressed his frustration with the slow response time for medical assistance, stating, “If this was any worse, we’d all be dead. If someone had a life-threatening injury that night, they would have died waiting for anyone from a first responder agency.”
Reports from MARTA have stated that the escalator was functioning correctly but was overloaded due to what they labeled a “stampede”.
However, video footage from the scene contradicts this claim by showing no signs of physical pushing or shoving among the crowd on the escalator.
Experts reviewing the incident have suggested that a brake failure is the more likely cause of the escalator’s erratic behavior.
Immediately following the malfunction, MARTA police officers and other bystanders began assisting those who had fallen, creating a chaotic scene on the platform, which was already crowded with passengers.
Some of the injured opted to leave the station on their own, including two men who, despite experiencing leg pain, decided to take a train to Inman Park.
A MARTA police report states that these individuals waited nearly three hours at the Inman Park station for Grady EMS, which was unable to provide a clear timeline for their arrival.
Repeated concerns have been voiced regarding the slow response times from Grady EMS, particularly in emergency situations where minutes are critical.
In this case, a MARTA police officer requested a Grady ambulance at 12:18 A.M., just two minutes after the escalator incident, noting multiple injuries on the platform.
The first medical unit from Atlanta Fire Rescue arrived at the scene at 12:50 A.M., roughly 32 minutes after the initial call for help.
Grady EMS’s first ambulance unit arrived even later, at 1:02 A.M., escalating concerns regarding the promptness of medical assistance amid an emergency.
The timeline put forward by MARTA indicates that the first ambulance was requested at 12:18 A.M., raising questions about the response times of Grady EMS, especially given that a unit was reported as already on standby near the stadium.
When questioned, a spokesperson for Grady EMS mentioned that one unit was dispatched to deal with an unrelated incident just after the escalator malfunction.
Atlanta City Council member Marci Collier Overstreet, upon learning about the delays, emphasized the necessity for reassessment of emergency protocols when managing large crowds, particularly during major events.
She stated, “When you’re gathering … 80,000 people in one area, accessibility during an emergency is crucial. There’s no reason for it to take a long time … for the emergency personnel to be able to access an emergency site.”
The MARTA police incident report revealed the identities of 13 victims, two more than previously reported, including a young girl and a teenage boy—a demography that adds gravity to the situation.
Initially, transit officials reported injuries mainly classified as “cuts and bruises”; however, the truth proved to be more serious, with at least two individuals suffering broken bones and others experiencing pain in limbs and backs.
By the time EMTs arrived, Jaylen Black was in need of urgent medical attention for significant injuries to her ankle and leg.
Describing her experience, she stated that emergency responders acknowledged they faced delays due to traffic.
Black, reflecting on the slow arrival of emergency services, attributed the delays to systemic issues rather than solely the fault of any individual units.
She noted, “They are overworked, understaffed and overwhelmed. By the time they arrived, we completely outnumbered them.”
Dogan recounted that upon the escalator stopping abruptly, individuals were thrown, resulting in serious injuries as some landed on him directly.
He described hearing a loud pop before falling again due to his inability to get up.
“I couldn’t even feel my toes,” he recalled, explaining how his leg numbed entirely.
Despite the chaos, he reported that medics stated they were unable to assist those on the hot ground due to a lack of stretchers.
Diagnosed with a broken bone in his leg that may require surgical intervention, Dogan expressed dissatisfaction with MARTA’s handling of the post-incident situation, particularly their characterization of what occurred.
He raised concerns about the miscommunication, noting that although MARTA claimed the injuries were primarily minor, the reality was much graver for those directly affected.
Moreover, Dogan noted that no officials from MARTA had reached out to apologize or check on the well-being of his family, aside from providing instructions on filing a claim.
His wife’s injury, which caused her foot to swell significantly, and the mental impact on his daughters highlighted the emotional toll the incident has taken on his family.
“They’re struggling the most mentally,” he remarked, sharing that his 13-year-old daughter has been experiencing nightmares since the incident.
Dogan concluded with a stark observation, expressing frustration that despite a serious situation, there seemed to be little genuine concern from MARTA about the welfare of those involved.
His remark captured the essence of the morning after the incident: “It’s not really about a claim. You’re not going to ask me how my family is doing?”
image source from：ajc
